Natural Biophotonic Architectures ─ Complex Optical Effects and Bioimimetic Applications

This book documents key developments in the field of complex optical effects in natural biophotonic architectures. It provides a model for inspiration, reviews the current state of the art, and describes and discusses challenges in understanding nature's capabilities to manipulate light. It describes the photonic architecture in the eye system of various insects, its spectral and polarization sensitivity, and functions. It also discusses developments of new optics-based device concepts motivated by natural design.

Dr. Pramod Kumar’s multidisciplinary research interest crosses the borders of scientific disciplines which cover various fundamental and practical applications aspects in the field of Ultrafast Laser physics and Natural Photonics for paving the way towards Photonic Integration technology on chip scale. However for real life applications, the exploitation, understanding, and control of complex optical processes for determining the performance of photonics devices like optical multi-functionality of Photonic structures, Optical parametric oscillators, Quantum nano-structure based mode-locked semiconductor lasers for broadband optical frequency comb need to be understood. Dr. Kumar is currently focusing on coherent manipulation and control light through Natural photonic structures for medical imaging technology.

Dr. Kamal P. Singh’s research focusses on the dynamics of atomic and simple molecular systems exposed to shaped intense fs/as light pulses. The basic objective of Dr. Singh’s research is two-fold: (i) to develop an understanding of the emerging phenomena when atomic/molecular systems interact with ultrafast light pulses, and (ii) to explore new quantum control scenarios of the fundamental photo-processes such as ionization, dissociation, electron localization etc.